The four disclosures creators forget

Disclosure is the part of posting that feels like paperwork, so people skip it. Then a brand gets a warning letter, or a post vanishes from a campaign report, and suddenly it is everyone's problem.

Here are the four cases that come up constantly, and what each platform actually asks for.

1. Paid partnership

A brand paid you, or gave you a free product in exchange for a post. This is branded content everywhere.

• TikTok: Content disclosure toggle, then "Paid partnership". Keep #ad in the caption as well.
• Instagram: Advanced settings, "Add paid partnership label", tag the brand.
• Facebook: Branded content tool, tag the business partner.
• X: No label exists. Put #ad at the start of the post where it cannot be missed.

2. Gifted product

"Thanks to @brand for sending this" is a partnership in the eyes of advertising regulators, even if nobody paid you. Same labels as above. #gifted on its own is not enough on most platforms.

3. Affiliate links and discount codes

If you earn when someone buys, say so near the top: "affiliate link" or #ad. A code in the caption with no disclosure is one of the most common findings we see, and it is one of the easiest to fix.

4. AI-generated media

Realistic images, video, or voice made with AI need the platform's label.

• TikTok: "AI-generated content" toggle in post settings. Unlabelled realistic AI content is removed.
• Instagram and Facebook: Meta adds an "AI info" label when it detects it; add it yourself in Advanced settings if it does not.
• X: No toggle. The mention in the text is your disclosure.

The habit

Before you post, ask one question: does anyone benefit from this besides me and my audience? A brand, an affiliate programme, an AI tool that made the visual. If yes, label it. The label costs nothing. Leaving it off can cost the post, the campaign, or the account's monetisation tools.